All Over Albany

Stuff to do this weekend

Welcome to the first weekend of spring -- at least according to the calendar. If you're using any other marker, it might be tough to tell.

But it's a weekend nonetheless, so put on your scarf and your boots and get out and do something fun. After the jump, a few things we thought you might like to try.

Planning something else? Drop it in the comments and share with the rest of us.

And whatever you're up to, have a fantastic weekend!

Stage

Peter And The Starcatcher
Saturday: The tour of Peter and the Starcatcher comes to Proctors this weekend. The show, which won 5 Tony awards on Broadway, is an imaginative and innovative prequel to the story of Peter Pan. Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm - $20 and up

Chicago
Friday: Chicago, the Kander and Ebb musical, comes to The Palace this weekend:

Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, Chicago is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who maliciously murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago's slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids.

Friday 8 pm, Saturday 2 pm and 8 pm - $28 and up

Smokey Joe's Cafe
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Light Opera presents a cabaret-style performance of Smokey Joe's Cafe. The Leiber and Stoller review features well-known rock n' roll and rhythm and blues songs. Directed by Brandon Jones this production is sung by some of the Capital Region's most impressive voices, including Dashira Cortes, Amanda Jo Wilsey, Nick Gatzendorfer and Joshua Lendell Powell. Friday and Saturday at 8 pm, Sunday at 2 pm - $22/$28

The Marvelous Wonderettes
Friday-Sunday: Our Own Productions presents the off-Broadway musical hit The Marvelous Wonderettes. The show uses pop songs from the 50s and 60s to tell the story of a group of high school classmates at their senior prom. Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2pm - $15

Souvenir
Friday-Sunday: This is the last week for Capital Rep's production of Souvenir. The comedy with music is based on the story of Florence Foster Jenkins, a wealthy amateur soprano... who couldn't sing. The production finished Sunday. Friday-Sunday various times - $20 and up

A Bronx Tale
Sunday: Chazz Palminteri performs a live, one-man show based on A Bronx Tale at Proctors. Proceeds go to the Child Reach Foundation. Sunday at 3pm - $54

Daddy's Dyin'... Who's Got the Will
Friday-Sunday: Schenectady Civic opens a production of the dark comedy Daddy's Dyin, Who's Got the Will. "Set in a small Texas town in anytime, U.S.A., Daddy's Dyin' concerns the reunion of a family gathered to await the imminent death of their patriarch... it's a fast, delicious, easy read with funny moments, tense moments, touching moments, and characters you care about." Friday and Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 2:30 - $17

The Normal Heart
Saturday-Sunday: The Local Actors Guild of Saratoga opens a production of The Normal Heart this weekend at the Saratoga Arts Center. The play is set amid the onset of the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s. Saturday at 2 pm and 8 pm, Sunday at 7:30 pm - $20

Roller Derby
Saturday: The Albany All Stars take on the Port City Roller Derby at the Washington Avenue Armory. Saturday 7 pm - $10 in advance / $12 at the door / $4 under 12

12th Annual Jewish Food Festival
Sunday: Congregation Gates of Heaven has its 12th Annual Jewish Food Festival. Sample brisket, matzah ball soup, kugels, latkes, and other culinary delights. Kids activities and a silent auction. Sunday at noon - $15 / $5 for kids 13-17 / 12 years old and younger free

Maple Weekend Open House
Saturday-Sunday: Maple producers from around New York State will open their doors for Maple Weekend with tours of their sugar houses, sugaring demonstrations and maple product samples this weekend. There are 25 participating producers within 50 miles of Albany.. samples and tours are free

Arbor Hill Winter Carnival
Saturday: Tours of Ten Broeck Mansion and the Stephen and Harriet Myers Residence, music, face painting, food and drinks at the Arbor Hill Winter Carnival. Saturday 1 pm - free

Hockey
+ Saturday: The Albany Devils face the Norfolk Admirals at the TU Center. Saturday 5 pm - $16 and up
+ Sunday: The Devils take on Hartford on Sunday at the TU center.Sunday 3 pm - $16 and up

It Came From Schenectady
Friday: It Came from Schenectady presents a Barry Longyear science fiction double feature at Proctors -- The Day the Earth Stood Still and Forbidden Planet. Longyear will be on hand to answer questions. Friday 7 pm - $9 adults / $6 students

Saturday: It Came From Schenectady is opening a new exhibit at the Mabee Farm Historic Site on some of the "what ifs" that inspired the creations of local science fiction innovators, including Kurt Vonnegut, Ray Nelson, and Glendora. Barry Longyear will read from his newest book and do a book signing. Saturday 2 pm - $5

Film

The Apartment
The Movies and Mimosa film this Saturday and Sunday morning at the Bow Tie Cinema in Saratoga Springs is Billy Wilder's The Apartment, starring Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine.

Fava beans and a nice chianti
The Insomnia Theater film at the Saratoga Springs Bow Tie this weekend is The Silence of the Lambs . Friday and Saturday nights at 11:30pm.

Maltese Falcon
The Madison Theater is screening the classic film noir The Maltese Falcon this weekend.

Rear Window
Sunday: Turner Classic Movies hosts a screening of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window at the Regal Crossgates Mall. Sunday 2 pm and 7 pm

Saratoga Film Forum
+ Friday and Sunday: The Saratoga Film Forum is screening Human Capital, a story that brings the lives of the privileged and the middle class together surrounding an accident in "a nuanced account of desire and greed and the value of human life in an age of cutthroat capitalism and financial manipulation." Friday 7:30 pm, Sunday 3 pm

+ Saturday: The Saturday night Film Forum Spring Street Classic at the Spring Street Gallery is Joel and Ethan Coen's Blood Simple. Saturday 7:30 pm

Comedy

Jay Leno
Friday: Former Tonight Show host Jay Leno brings his stand-up act to Proctors. Friday at 8pm - $30 and up

Improvapalooza
Friday: The Mop & Bucket Company presents Improvapalooza underground at Proctors. Each week the company hosts another local improv troupe. Friday 8 pm - $14 / $6 students/seniors

Bombers Belly Laughs
Friday: Ashley Austin Morris (The Big Bang Theory, Desperate Housewives) headlines the Bombers Belly Laughs stand-up show at the Troy Bombers. Friday 8 pm - $15

Music

Friday: The Sadies at Helsinki Hudson
Alt country. 9 pm - $18

Saturday: Zammuto + Gotye at MASS MoCA
Formerly of The Books, and just the person that you used to know. 8 pm - $18 ahead / $24

Saturday: Michele Rosewoman's New Yor-Uba at The Egg
"Renowned pianist and composer Michele Rosewoman presents New Yor-Uba: A Musical Celebration of Cuba in America, featuring fellow masters from the worlds of contemporary jazz and Cuban folkloric music." 8 pm - $28

Saturday: Ellis Paul at Caffe Lena
Folk. 7 pm - $24

Saturday:The Nile Project at the Sanctuary for Independent Media. 12 piece ensemble from throughout the Nile River basin in Africa. Saturday at 5pm. Concert $15. Workshop and community potluck begin at 3pm and are free.

Sunday: Paul Lewis at Union College
Pianist, "one of today's leading interpreters of Beethoven and Schubert." 3 pm - $25 / $10 students

Sunday: Lindsay Lou & The Flatbellys at Caffe Lena
Michigan Americana. 7 pm - $18

Diamond Dance
Friday: Saratoga Savoy holds its 12th anniversary Diamond Dance at the Saratoga Music Hall (top floor of City Hall), featuring the Joey Thomas Big Band. Dance lesson at 7:30, dancing until 11 pm - $15

Museums

One Plastic Bag
Saturday: The Albany Institute is hosting an event this Saturday with Isatou Ceesay, a Gambian woman who created a community-based recycling program. Her story is the subject of One Plastic Bag, a new picture book by author Miranda Paul and Albany-based illustrator Elizabeth Zunon. Paul and Zunon will both be at the event. It will include a reading and talk, as well as a project for kids to create their own recycled art project. Saturday workshops at noon and 3 pm - free with museum admission

Albany's Twilight League
Sunday: The Albany Institute of History and Art hosts a discussion about Albany's Twilight Baseball League. "Join the foremost experts on its history for a rousing discussion about the people and places that make baseaball an integral part of our city's social fabric." Moderated by Paul Grondahl. Sunday 2 pm - free with museum admission

Butterflies
miSci's butterfly exhibit is open. It's an indoor butterfly house with brilliantly colored native butterflies. The exhibit is open through April 19. Free with museum admission. They're also celebrating Pi Day on Saturday with math and pie.

More museums
If you're up for a museum visit this weekend you can check out theState Museum's Shaker exhibit, or pay a visit the new building at The Clark and its "Machine Age Modernism" exhibit. There's also the the "Bibliothecaphilia" exhibit at MASS MoCA. And the The Hyde Collection or the Baseball Hall of Fame make good day trips.

Earlier:
+ Day trip: Glens Falls and the Hyde Collection
+ Day trip: Williamstown and the Clark

Public Star Party
Friday and Saturday: The Landis Arboretum is hosting the Albany Area Amateur Astronomers for a public star party. "Guests will be able to view nebulae, star clusters, galaxies, planets -- and a myriad of other cosmic marvels." Registration is suggested (518) 374-8460. Friday and Saturday 8 pm, weather permitting

Classes

Garden planning
Friday: 9 Mile Farm's Rebekah Rice will be at Honest Weight leading a class on garden planning. "Do you want to grow more of your vegetables, herbs, flowers and fruits? Rebekah can show you how! Bring information about your garden space and learn to make a realistic plan." Friday 6 pm - free (registration required)

Grafting Heirloom Apple Trees
Saturday: Berkshire Botanical Gardens is holding a workshop on grafting heirloom apple trees. Saturday 10am - $40/$45

Farmers' markets
Winter farmers' markets continue indoors:
+ The Troy Waterfront Farmers Market will be in the Troy Atrium in downtown Troy Saturday from 9 am-2 pm.
+ The Saratoga Farmers' Market will be at the Lincoln Baths on Saturday from 9 am-1 pm.
+ The Schenectady Greenmarket will be inside Proctors on Sunday from 10 am-2 pm.
+ The Spa City Farmers' Market will be in Lincoln Baths Sunday from 10 am-3 pm.

Capital Rep, Helsinki Hudson, The Mop & Bucket Company, and Albany Institute advertise on AOA.

photo: Scott Suchman